Vestibular rehabilitation potential of commercially available virtual reality video games

Abstract

Background Peripheral vestibular disorders affect 2.8–6.5% of people. Standard treatment is vestibular rehabilitation therapy, and virtual reality (VR) could improve outcomes. The objective of this study was to identify the commercially available VR video game that is most congruent to vestibular rehabilitation therapy. Methods A term search “virtual reality racing” was performed on the App Store in March 2022. Results were screened for free point-of-view racing games compatible with Android and iOS devices. An investigator was filmed playing each game and videos were distributed to 237 physiotherapists. Physiotherapists completed a survey of 5-point Likert scale questions that assessed the video games vestibular rehabilitation potential. Survey responses were analyzed using Friedman Two-Way ANOVA (alpha = 0.05) and paired samples sign test with Bonferroni correction. Results The search yielded 58 games, 4 were included. Forty physiotherapists participated. VR Tunnel Race (VRTR) and VR Real World Bike Racing (VRWBR) had the greatest vestibular rehabilitation potential (median global scores = 18.00). VRTR replicated habituation exercises significantly (p < 0.001) better than Derby VR, and VRWBR replicated physiotherapist-prescribed exercises significantly (p < 0.001) better than VR X-Racer. There were no discernable significant differences between VRWBR and VRTR. Conclusions VRTR and VRWBR are the most congruent VR games to standard vestibular rehabilitation. VRWBR is preferable to VRTR with respect to ease of use and the ability to alter the amount of optokinetic stimulation. Prospective studies are needed to confirm the efficacy of these videos games and to determine if they could be used as solitary treatments. Trial registration: Not applicable. Graphical abstract

Leveraging Technology for Vestibular Assessment and Rehabilitation in the Operational Environment: A Scoping Review

“…Our search strategy yielded 32 articles: 8 articles [14-21] met our inclusion and exclusion criteria whereas the other 24 articles were rejected (Figure 1). Reasons for rejection included: discussed health conditions other than central or peripheral vestibular disorders (2), failed to leverage technology (5), focused on devices or techniques not conducive to an operational environment (10), described symptoms or populations (6), and were written in a language other than English (1). We also hand searched the reference list of the included studies identified through the search.…”

“…Similarly, vestibular rehabilitation can be delivered via smartphone-or tablet-based devices. Virtual reality systems and head-mounted devices can also be used to deliver or augment traditional vestibular rehabilitation [10]. Early vestibular rehabilitation may result in better outcomes [11].…”

Exploring the Potentials of Wearable Technologies in Managing Vestibular Hypofunction

“…The system incorporated real-time head-motion detection, such that an angular acceleration threshold can be set to increase the exercise's difficulty level in real-time. In another study, the efficacy of commercially available videogames for vestibular rehabilitation was investigated [36]. It was found that some of the video games produced optokinetic stimulation that presented similar effects as both habituation and gaze stabilization exercises.…”